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Fatwa CenterAdmitted to College But Had Cheated in High School Exams
Question
Assalamualikum, I have recently been admitted to two colleges that I have applied to. In the past, in high school I have cheated a couple of times usually by giving people answers for simple work such as homework, class work, and possibly labs. I have also cheated at least once by taking someone else’s idea from the internet for a small project. For one of the colleges I admit to my cheating incidents in which I have answers but I forgot to tell them about the times I have cheated for my benefit. For the other college I did not tell them of any of my cheating incidents. My question is, can I still attend these colleges, given that if I got caught cheating I would most likely have gotten a 0 on the assignments and possibly gotten a bad review placed on my record? I think that it is also important to note that I generally do not cheat, this has only happened a few times and most of my work is my own. Thank you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
You must repel these whispers and stop giving in to them and talking about them. What you have mentioned does not prevent you from joining the two colleges that you have applied to or other colleges.
You should not have talked to the two colleges or others about what you had done if you know that you are able to study in them and understand the lessons (or lectures) that are given in them.
It is enough for you to seek Allah’s forgiveness from that old cheating and regret it and be determined not to return to it again, and just take up your study assiduously.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz 
was asked:
“A man works with a scientific certificate but he cheated in the exams for this certificate, and now he is doing his job very well, according to the testimony of his directors. What is the ruling on his salary? Is it lawful or unlawful?”
He replied, “There is no harm, Allah willing, but he must repent from cheating. If he is doing his job as due, then there is nothing wrong with his earnings; but he was wrong to cheat before and must repent to Allah from it.” [End of quote]
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 344719, 358828, 191489, 355567, and 362809.
Allah knows best.
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